Undergarment



Dec. 2, 1941.

A. R. KNEIBLERy l 2,264,384 UNDERGARMENT Filed June 22, 1938 :sheets-.sheet 1.

A. R. KNEIBLER UNDERGARMENT Filed'June 22, 193e 3 Sheets-Shet 2 S \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\v *x5 2, 1.941. A. R. KNEIBLER UNDERGARMENT Filed June 22, 1938 s sheets-sheet .3

Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNDERGABMENT Aronnxneibien Kenosha, Wis.; signalto Coopers, Incorporated, Kenosha, Wis., a cor- POratlon o! Wisconsin Application June 2z, 193s, semi No.,215,o9 3 1 claim. (ci. 12s- 159) This invention relates to undergarments and more particularly to undergarments of the shorts type for mens wear.

The main objects of the invention are to provide an undergarment of the character indicated in which the crotch portion of the garment is so constructed as to afford a highly desirable, mild supporting effect; to provide a construction which will avoid excessive stretching of the garment when made 0f knitted material so as-tovbe capable of indefinitely retaining its initial, builtin, form fitting and supporting qualities; to provide in an undergarment of the character indicated a waist band structure which will supply a comfortable abdominal supporting effect; and,

vIi

in general it is the object of the invention to provide an improved garment of the character indicated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference tothe following specification and accompanying drawings (3 sheets) wherein there is described an undergarment of the mens shorts type embodying a se-` lected form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation.

the two innermost plies of the back section but without attachment to the innermost ply, and said two pliesand strips are stitched along the edges of the tape strips intermediate their outermost ply so the stitching presents a quilted effect on -the outside of the back section. The innermost ply of the back section covers the diagonal lines of stitching and the assembled back structure is stitched together about the periphery thereof-either by stitching provided for that purpose only, or as an incident to stitching which is. employed for uniting the back section to other parts of the garment.

'I'he front waist band-section is suitably knitted so as to" present a finished upper edge and Figures 3, 4 andy 5 are sections on the correspondingly numbered lines in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan of the lowerA crotch portion of the garment. Y

Figure 8 is an exploded View showing the various partswhich enter into the construction of the improved garment.

Referring' now to the drawings, the garmentv I0 and a body portion I I. c The waist band portion IU is preferably formed as therein shown comprises a waist band portion of front and back sections I2 and I3, respectively, the said sections being joined together at the sides of the garment as indicated at I 4-I 4. The front section I2 is formed of elastic webbing, i. e., knitted material 4containing elastic it Vis'also preferably formed with anv upper marginal portion which embodies a greater number f elastic threads than the remainder of the section, s o as to supply stronger elasticity in the upper margin-to thereby insure adequate grip- Y ping Vof the body to keep the garment in place. The upper edge of the back section is preferably trimmed with a'tape-like strip I5 of knitted material, the latter beingpreferably formed by foldv ing a strip of the knitted material upon itself to' form a two-ply'element with one edge formed by the fold. The finished edge so formed provides a relatively soft and comfortable gripping margin for the back'section .of the waist band. `As indicated in Figures 2 and 8, the upper edge of the back section is slightly concaved, this shape serving to better conform the upper portion of the garment to the body.

threads of rubber or like material which extend in the direction of the circumference of the waist band so that said-front section is circumferentially stretchable. The material is preferably such that it has no appreciable stretchability in the vertical direction of the garment. The front e section I2 is preferably widened somewhat in its middle portion so as to overlie most of the lower abdominal regions of the wearer andfthereby to exert a desirable supporting effect on the same, '55, The body section of the garment comprises leg.- e

The described waist band construction places.

substantially all of the elasticity therein in the front portion where it overlies the portions of th'e body which undergo the greatest movement, whereas the back section is so constructed it may assume a substantially fixed position in the back of the wearer where little or no movement takes place. This arrangement produces. a desirable comfort effect as distinguishable from conventional arrangements in which the waist band embodies elastic material around its entire circumference.

forming portions I6 and I1, the same being shown in Figure 8 in a folded condition to more adequately illustrate their relationship to the other parts of the garment. The leg sections I 6 and I1 have their upper end portions I8--I8 respectively joined to adjacent end portions of the elastic and inelastic front and back sections I2 and I3 of the waist band. Lower inside edge portions indicated at I9 of the said leg sections are joined together by suitable seams as indicated at 20 (in Figure l) and the lower ends of said leg sections are turned outwardly and inwardly and secured by suitable stitching as indicated a* 1I to form the legs of the desired length.

m the back of the garment intermediate the two leg sections there is a back' element 22, the same having its upper edge 23 secured to the waist band and its side edges 24-24 secured by suitable stitching as indicated at 25 to the adjacent upper side edge portions of the leg sections A crotch portion 26, preferably formed of two plies of material as indicated in Figure 8, has its rear edge 21 united by suitable stitching 28 to the lower edge of the back section 2 2. The side edges 29-29 of the crotch portion 26 are united by continuations of the stitching 25 to the central and lower front portions of the upper side edge portions of the leg sections I6 and I1 as is apparent from an inspection of Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. As best shown in Figure 1, the said crotch portion 26 extends upwardly to a point where it overlies a lower central portion of the waist band, said upper end portion being pointed substantially as indicated in the drawings.

The front of the garment is completed by means of inserts 30 and 3|, respectively, on opposite sides of the pointed end of the crotch portion, the insert 30 being of triangular form and having its edges joined by stitching to the adjacent edge portions of the waist band and the leg I1. 'I'he third edge of the insert 30 underlies the adjacent edge portion of the pointed end of the crotch member 26 and is suitably secured thereto a tapelike strip 32 of suitable fabric being stitched adjacent its edges as indicated at 33-33 to the underlying margins of the garment portions 26 and 30. Said tape-like strip 32 may be formed of a knitted material with the wales extending lengthwise of the strip so that the latter is relatively inextensible lengthwise and said strip preferably extends transversely of the front section of the waist band to the upper edge thereof so that said strip is eiective to transmit support from the waist band to the front end of the crotch portion and through the seam 25 and adjacent portions of the garment to the lower or central portion of the crotch of the garment.

The other triangular insert element 3| also has edge portions united to the adjacent edges of the waist band and leg portions, but its third edge 34 is left free excep.` at its ends to the overlying portions of the garment. The said edge 34 is preferably nished With a suitable tape-like strip and it is generally parallel to the edge 35 of the pointed end of the crotch portion. The said edge 35 of the crotch portion is also free except for attachment at its ends to the underlying prtions of the garment. As shown, the upper end of the free edge portion 35 is secured by stitching to the central portion of the garment in the waist band thereof and the lower end of said edge is secured preferably as an incident to the stitching 25. It will be seen that the material of the front end of `the crotch portion 26 and of the insert 3| overlaps a substantial distance but is free of inter-attachment, thereby forming a front opening in the garment. i

The structure thus far described obtains the advantageous supporting effect more fully set .forth in my Patent No. 2,019,140, A. R. Kneibler.

By preference the body portion of the described garment is made in its entirety of knitted material, the wales of which extend generally in the direction of the length of the garment. Such knitted material is more or less elastic transversely of its wales so that the garment may be distended as may be required to fit the wearer with a desirable degree of snugness.

For the purpose of controlling the transverse stretching of the garment especially in the crotch portion there is provided in this instance a short tape strip 3B preferably of Woven fabric material which is relatively inelastic. Said tape strip 36 is located substantially in the lowermost portion or middle of the crotch of the garment and it is secured at its ends to the opposite edges 29--29 of the crotch portion, preferably by means of the stitching 25. As indicated in Figure 8, the crotch tape element 36 is of considerable less length than the corresponding width of the crotch portion 26. The crotch portion is preferably gathered together as indicated at 36 (in Figure 6) adjacent the tape strip and securely attached throughout the width of its gathered portion to the tape strip by means of suitable machine stitching as indicated at 38. Said stitching 38 maintains the crotch portion gathered as explained and said gathers extend for--A wardly and rearwardly from the tape strip 36 so as to produce somewhat of a pouch effect, both forwardly and rearwardly of the said tape strip. Such pouch effect, however, is more pronounced at the front'of the crotch tape due to the greater width of material in the adjacent portions of the crotch forwardly of the strip. It will be evident that the gathers 31 have a normal tendency to stay closed incident to the stitching 38 but that they may readily be distended as the need requires4 to conform to and support the body with a mild. resilient, supporting eifect.

The structure described requires no special or diflicult manufacturing operations and may be produced economically and at low costs so as to be a commercially practicable construction. It embodies definite advantages of body support and lasting qualities in respect of said supporting eiiect, and in this latter respect overcomes disadvantages present in constructions now available and which aim to provide a comparable supporting effect.

Changes in the described structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope oi' which should be deter mined by reference to the following claim, the same being construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim:

A mans undergarment made of knitted material having substantially vertically extending, relatively non-extensible wales and which is stretchable circumferentially and adapted to fit snugly all parts of the body so that the material of the garment is under tension circumferentialy while being worn, said garment having a Waist band which exerts a constrictive force and serves to at least partially support the garment from the waists of the wearer; a front panel attached to said waist band and taperingfdownwardly to- Ward the crotch and having such width at the crotch as to provide a masculine support; a rear 'panel extending upwardly and rearwardly from said crotch portionland connected at its upper edgeto said waist band; side panels forming.

lateral coverings for the trunk and thighs beplete garment, the lower portions of said side panels forming integral tubular legs extending downwardly from said crotch; the seams con-v necting the upper edges of said side panels to said front panels being disposed along lines substantially 4coincident with the groins of the weartween said front and back panels and connected thereto along their adjacent edges to forma com` said crotch portion at the location of said gathers and of a length less than the-width of the adjacent crotch portion, whereby said gathers are maintained in said garment and said inextensible member resists transverse stretehability of said crotch at the base thereof.

` ARTHUR R. KNEIBLER. 

